Page:The Indian Mutiny of 1857.djvu/295

Rh of its commencement, then, the princes of Rájpútána clustered round the waning fragments of the British power, to protect them against an enemy more terrible even than Amír Khán and the Pindárís. It is true that the contingents furnished by Bhartpur and Kotá revolted. Subsequently, too, the mutinied soldiers of Kotá murdered the British Resident, Major Burton, and his two sons. But the Rájá of Bhartpur was a minor, and it has never been proved how far the Máháráo of Kotá was coerced by his soldiers. Certainly the Rájás and Ráos of the other sixteen principalities were entirely loyal, and they proved their loyalty on many a trying occasion.

The station of Nasirábád, in the Ajmír-Mairwárá district of Rájpútána, 150 miles nearer to Dehlí than was Nímach, was garrisoned by the 15th and 30th Regiments N. I., a battery of native artillery, and the 1st Bombay Lancers. The infantry broke into revolt on the 28th of May; the men of the other arms followed suit. Two officers were killed, and two were wounded. The remainder retreated to Biáur, a town in Ajmír-Mairwárá, escorting the women and children.

At a later date, August 22d, the contingent at Erinpúram, near Mount Ábu, also revolted, and attempted, without much success, to surprise the Europeans, invalided or sick, resting at that sanitarium.

There was one other exception to the general loyalty of the princes, nobles, and people of Rájpútána. That exception was a Thákur or baron of Jodhpur. But that Thákur's grievance was not against the English, but against his liege lord the Rájá. To coerce him, he used the revolted sipáhís — very much, as the result proved — to his own detriment.

But throughout those troublous times the chief figure in Rájpútána was the Governor-General's representative